Major General D. H. HILL, Kinston, N. C.:

Send a brigade immediately to this place; Ransom's preferred, if no loss of time is involved.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspection General.

RICHMOND, VA., April 30 1863.

Lieutenant General JAMES LONGSTREET, Suffolk, Va.:

Move without delay with your command to this place to effect a junction with General Lee.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

SUFFOLK, VA., April 30, 1863.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General:

GENERAL: You can send General Wise's brigade to Gordonsville and telegraph General D. H. Hill a brigade and replace it, and General Beauregard for Clingman's brigade for General Hill.

JAMES LONGSTREET,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS, April 30, 1863.

Major General D. H. HILL:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 27th is received. The battery on the Chowan will hardly be needed, as the probabilities are that this command will soon be moved to the Rappahannock. If this is done one of the brigades in North Carolina will be needed here to hold the line of the Blackwater. But I presume that Generals Evans and Clingman will return to you before the brigade is called for. I very much doubt the policy of holding all the points of your line or of attempting to do so. Two points, with you forces so arranged as to meet an advance against either, I should think your better arrangement. The greater the number of points that the enemy holds the better, inasmuch as he increases his line and diminished the number of available troops. When the enemy does advance i think that it would be well to let him get well our from this base before giving him battle. Then, if you can get a strong position behind him, you will force him to attack you and will be almost certain to destroy him. I regret that you have ordered so much of the cavalry here. I only wanted one regiment and called particularly for Colonel Claiborne's, because I thought it was in such a condition as to be of little use to you, and could scout the counties south of this and at the same time help to consume forage that we might not be able to haul off. I desire that you recall all the cavalry that you have ordered except one regiment. If my troops are recalled to the Rappahannock I expect to return with them; but no move will be made for several days yet.

I remain, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,
JAMES LONGSTREET,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.